The strange Jekyll and Hyde Effect: Do lottery winners change their personality?
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Do you change when you win the lottery like a Jekyll and Hyde character? Or do others change because they see you differently?
Dr. H. Roy Kaplan explored that question in his book, "Lottery Winners: How They Won and How Winning Changed Their Lives."
He said that winning the lottery doesn't change people, but the "effects on their personality from past influences and ingrained values are left intact."
Dr Kaplan said you catapult people overnight from one economic status to another with a lottery win.
But a lifetime of beliefs and experiences change more slowly.
"People who were outgoing and gregarious before winning took it in stride," Kaplan wrote.
"People who were shy and withdrawn before winning became suspicious and paranoid."
The following examples show the facts about this theory are very true.
Jim McCullar of Washington state, who claimed half of a Mega Millions $380 million prize in 2011.
But said he was initially afraid to come forward.
CNN reporter Elizabeth Landau reported that he said, “All we saw were predators and we were afraid to do anything until we got down here with police protection."
It was a different story with Lee McDaniel, 67, of Stone Mountain, Georgia, who won $5 million in the Georgia Lottery.
He says he has seen no downsides at all and doesn't have anyone in his life chasing after his money.
He remodeled his house, bought a large RV and a Jeep, and put some of his win into low-risk investments.
It shows that winners adjust to their fortunes in a range of ways, and not all of these adjustments are negative.
